Vol. 469 No. 3
126 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she intends to take to address the lack of a remedial teacher in the town of Carndonagh, County Donegal, where there are three schools on the short-term. [17328/96]
127 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she intends to take to address the lack of a remedial teacher in the town of Buncrana, County Donegal, where there are five schools currently without any help. [17329/96]
128 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she intends to take to address the lack of any remedial help for six rural schools in Inishowen, County Donegal. [17330/96]
134 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education when a remedial teacher will be provided for a school (details supplied) in County Mayo. [17338/96]
149 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the number of hours of remedial teaching given by the 37 teachers allocated to the 104 individual schools in County Donegal; and the steps, if any, which will be taken to improve this record in the near future. [17426/96]
150 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education whether she recognises the need for remedial help to be given to the 74 schools without such help in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17431/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 127, 128, 134, 149 and 150 together.
I am not in a position to allocate additional remedial teachers to primary schools. When I am next in a position to extend the remediation service, the needs of the schools in question will receive every consideration.
Since my appointment as Minister for Education, I have allocated an additional 241 remedial teachers to the primary sector. A total of 1,188 remedial teachers are now in place and the percentage of pupils who have access to a remedial service has increased from 77 per cent to 87 per cent. I consider that the substantial improvements which I have already achieved in this area provide practical confirmation of my commitment to the needs of the children in question.
However, as Minister for Education, I have to consider how best to deploy available resources across a wider range of special needs. I have to determine priorities and to try to allocate resources to best effect.
In the current year, I have adopted a particular focus on children who suffer from educational disadvantage and have sought to target resources into this area in an effort to break the cycle of disadvantage. As part of this approach, I recently launched a major new initiative aimed at special targeted assistance for selected urban and rural areas which suffer serious educational disadvantage.
I am satisfied that since my appointment as Minister for Education I have achieved substantial advances across the entire spectrum of special needs, including remedial area. It is my intention to continue this process.
